Six tips for signage that packs a punch

One-tenth of a second. That’s how long it takes for people to form a first impression. That’s according to a study conducted by Princeton University. That’s not much time for your retail signage to make an impact. With thousands of signs and messages screaming for a potential customer’s attention at any given time, is your in-store signage effectively communicating your message?

According to research by the Signage Foundation, signs have a significant positive impact on sales, with over 60% of businesses reporting a 10% increase in sales by adding or updating their signs. Conversely, more than 50% of respondents to a FedEx Office survey indicated that poor signage (poor quality, misspelled words, etc.) deterred them from entering a place of business.

Signage design is a vital part of your business. From your storefront, to banners, to barricades, and every piece of your retail store signage, you are helping to shape your customers’ first impression of your business. Signs generate interest, help you stand out in a crowd, and communicate important messages about your brand (or brands!) to potential consumers.

So how do you create signage that stands out in the marketplace and captures the attention of your intended audience?

• Be clear and concise. Do you have a sale to promote? Perhaps a new product? Whatever the case may be, use your signage real estate as an opportunity to promote these messages and clearly communicate exactly what you want your customers to know. The less people must stop and think about what it is you’re trying to convey, the more likely your message will get across.

• Keep it simple. The adage also carries over to signage design. A sign is an advertisement with the goal of getting your customer to do or feel something. Tell your customers what you want them to know in as few words as possible.

• Refresh your signage. Updating or changing your signage, or even enhancing the visibility of existing signs, may help to boost your sales. One study reported an average increase of 10% in areas including sales, transactions, and profits, when signage was updated or made more prominent.

• Placement matters. As they say in real estate it’s all about, location, location, location. As reported by Small Business Connect, as many as 45% of first-time customers say they visited a business because they noticed a sign.

• Brand promotion and reinforcement. Although some of your signage may make an immediate impact, in other cases it comes down to consistent exposure over time. As consumers continue to be exposed to your signage, they develop a familiarity with you and your brand. That familiarity breeds trust and will later likely result in a sale and, even better, the acquisition of a loyal consumer.

• Remember the magic number. Seven! The Marketing Rule of 7, developed by the movie industry in the 1930’s, notes a potential consumer needs to hear your message at least seven times before taking action to purchase a product or service. Keep that in mind as you develop your signage and before you decide whether it’s producing results. Give the message some time to sink in.

Signs play a critical role in promoting your business, communicating your message, and creating brand loyalty. They are cost-effective and relatively easy to update and maintain. According to the Small Business Association, the need for other forms of advertising is also significantly reduced when a business sign is carefully designed.

From creative design, to production, and through fulfillment, let EPI Marketing Services assist you in providing purposeful and impactful messaging to your customers. EPI will tailor a program for your business that increases impact and cuts costs – all with in-house capability.

Contact us at: 800.562.9733 or visit our website: epiinc.com